File:Luteine_-_Lutein.svg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
lutein
Sign in to saveAlso known as SID548587, xanthophyll, 180580-60-3
Lutein (; from Latin luteus meaning "yellow") is a xanthophyll and one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids. Lutein is synthesized only by plants, and like other xanthophylls is found in high quantities in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and yellow carrots. In green plants, xanthophylls act to modulate light energy and serve as non-photochemical quenching agents to deal with triplet chlorophyll, an excited form of chlorophyll which is overproduced at high light levels during photosynthesis.
Chemical data
- Formula
- C40H56O2
- Molecular weight
- 568.9 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- (1R)-4-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-18-[(1R,4R)-4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl]-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaenyl]-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-ol
- SMILES
- CC1=C(C(C[C@@H](C1)O)(C)C)/C=C/C(=C/C=C/C(=C/C=C/C=C(\C)/C=C/C=C(\C)/C=C/[C@H]2C(=C[C@@H](CC2(C)C)O)C)/C)/C
- InChIKey
- KBPHJBAIARWVSC-RGZFRNHPSA-N
- XLogP
- 11
- Polar surface area
- 40.5 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 2
- H-bond acceptors
- 2
- Formal charge
- 0
via PubChem
Research
7,889 papers- Lutein Supplementation for Eye Diseases.Nutrients · 2020
- Lutein production from microalgae: A review.Bioresource technology · 2023
- Lutein: A natural defence combating age-related macular degeneration.Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology · 2025
- Lutein as an Ingredient in Pediatric Nutritionals.Journal of AOAC International · 2019
- Microalgal lutein: Advancements in production, extraction, market potential, and applications.Bioresource technology · 2023
via PubMed
Wikidata facts
- Mass
- 568.428031
Show 4 more facts
- Commons category
- Lutein
- chemical formula
- C₄₀H₅₆O₂
- isomeric SMILES
- CC1=C(C(C[C@@H](C1)O)(C)C)/C=C/C(=C/C=C/C(=C/C=C/C=C(\C)/C=C/C=C(\C)/C=C/[C@H]2C(=C[C@@H](CC2(C)C)O)C)/C)/C
- canonical SMILES
- CC1=C(C(CC(C1)O)(C)C)C=CC(=CC=CC(=CC=CC=C(C)C=CC=C(C)C=CC2C(=CC(CC2(C)C)O)C)C)C
Sources (5)
via Wikidata · CC0
~9 min read
Article
10 sectionsContents
- As a pigment
- Role in human eyes
- Macular degeneration
- Cataract research
- In foods
- Safety
- Commercial value
- See also
- References
- External links
{{Chembox | Watchedfields = changed | verifiedrevid = 457657742 | ImageFile = Luteine - Lutein.svg | ImageClass = skin-invert-image | ImageSize = 300px | ImageFile1 = Lutein molecule spacefill.png | ImageClass1 = bg-transparent | ImageSize1 = 300 | ImageAlt1 = Space-filling model of lutein | IUPACName = (3R,6R,3R)-β,ε-Carotene-3,3-diol | SystematicName = (1R,4R)-4-{(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-18-[(4R)-4-Hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-yl]-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaen-1-yl}-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-ol | OtherNames = |Section1= |Section2= |Section7= }}
Lutein (; from Latin luteus meaning "yellow") is a xanthophyll and one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids. Lutein is synthesized only by plants, and like other xanthophylls is found in high quantities in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and yellow carrots. In green plants, xanthophylls act to modulate light energy and serve as non-photochemical quenching agents to deal with triplet chlorophyll, an excited form of chlorophyll which is overproduced at high light levels during photosynthesis.